When Should LST be applied? How many LST training methods are there? Does LST make marijuana plants grow better?
There are different definitions of LST depending on where you look. A general definition for low stress training is where a cannabis plant is manipulated or changed to have more bud sights and a flat canopy usually done by tying down stems or the stalk to the side of the bucket. This ensures all bud sights have access to the same amount of light.Using LST makes all of the branches equal in height so all of the top buds receive the same amount of light and nutrients.
As the name suggests this puts stress on your plants although considerably less than super cropping. Slight stress helps cannabis grow better and more efficiently, heavy stress can work against your cannabis plant and cause slow growth.
When to Start Low Stress Training
Low stress training can be started at any point during the vegetative cycle. The later you start, the less dramatic of an impact you can make. After several weeks in the plant's life cycle is a safe time to start LST. You can do it sooner with greater risk and stress to the plant.
LST Training methods
Perhaps the most basic and well known method is where you tie your plant to the side of the pot and slowly pull more of the plant down as it grows. This keeps your plant the height that you want and keeps good support around the stalk. Like all LST methods as new growth appears you will have to bend it down and remove anything blocking light. Cloth pots or pots with handles make a good choice when thinking of using this method. Holes are much easier to cut into cloth pots.
Screen of Green- This technique als has a fitting name. A net is strung horizontally over the tops of the plants. As the plant grows through the net it is pushed back under and away from the stalk. This causes the top branches to slow down and give the bottom ones a chance to catch up and receive a healthy amount of light.
Perks of LST
More light reaches lower areas of the plant than would originally be able to. More bud sites receiving the same amount of nutrients and light means buds are similar in size. Using LST allows you to have a firm grasp on exactly how your plant will grow and how much it will ultimately yield.
There are many methods of training cannabis. If you didn't find what you were looking for in this article you might read “Super Cropping”. Thank you for reading and always if you have any questions feel free to contact us on the support page.
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